CHALLENGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 272, 16 November 1936, Page 8

CHALLENGED.

' HON. R. SEMPLE. INCIDENT IN HOUSE. "STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE." MR. HOLLAND HITS OUT. (By Telegraph.—Press As&ociation.) CHRISTCHURCH, tliis clay. A denial that the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, had told him in the corridors of the House of Representatives that '"if he wanted to make a political career for himself not to drive into political sewers, but to keep his head above it," was given by Mr. S. G. Holland, M.P. for Cliristehurch North, in a statement this morning. Mr. Semple's statement is siinply not true," said Mr. Holland. "He did not address that remark to me either in the corridors or anywhere else. Mr. Semple did speak to me in the corridor two days after the incident in the House—not just afterwards as stated by Mr. Semple. —and the Minister unburdened himself of a few typically vulgar Sempleisms," Mr. Holland added. "I told him quietly but firmly that I was not going to be bullied bv him or anyone else, and that if ho had anything to say the floor of the House was the place to say it. That was where the matter was left. "As for Mr. Semple's statement that many members of the Opposition went to him and expressec! regret that the matter had been raised, I simply do not believe it and I challenge Mr. Semple to name the members of the Opposition who acted as he states." Referring to his speech in the House when he asked whether Mr. Semple's son had been appointed to the Transport Department, Mr. Holland said: "I would emphasise that I went out of my way to say that I raised no objection to a Minister's son being appointed provided lie had the requisite qualifications, and surely a member has the right to ask if any particular individual has been appointed to the Public Service. The Minister's attack on members of the Opposition is an obvious attempt to camouflage the fact that the recent objections 011 the appointment of Ministers' sons came from the Public Service and not from the Opposition members of Parliament at all."